It is known to record indicia on film within a camera at the time a picture is taken to designate a desired image frame format for the resultant photo print that differs from a standard frame format. The use of pseudo format reproduction is an example of such a print format variation wherein the resultant print may be in a pseudo telephoto or a pseudo panoramic format.
A pseudo telephoto print ("pseudo tele") is one that is made from a restricted central portion of a film image frame that usually has the same width-to-length aspect ratio, e.g. 1.0:1.5 (or 4".times.6"), as that of the original full sized frame on the film (for 35mm film). During the printing process, the peripheral portions of the film image frame are masked off and the central portion is enlarged to the desired size to give a print with an apparent telephoto or close-up format. The degree of telephoto effect is determined by the enlargement and masking employed at the printer.
A pseudo panoramic print ("pseudo pan") is one in which upper and lower portions of the film image frame are masked off to provide a resultant viewing area in the print that has an elongated width-to-length aspect ratio greater than 1:2 and preferably 1:3. During the printing process, the film image frame is masked as described and the image is enlarged to provide a full height print with the appearance of a panoramic or elongated format. Both pseudo tele and pseudo pan prints are thus accomplished by adjustment of the printer without the need for the use of a true telephoto or wide angle lens in the camera.
It is also well known to provide encodements on film to present an indication to the photofinisher that any given image frame on a film strip is to be printed with a particular pseudo format. Representative examples of such teachings are found in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,583,831, 4,652,104 and Re. 32,797. In such disclosures, one or more dedicated light emitting diodes (LED's) are provided to expose film margins or inter-frame regions with encodement that, after processing of the film, are readable at the printer to produce the appropriate pseudo-format prints.
Recently, proposals have been made to produce still photographic film in which the conventional uniformly spaced perforations ("perfs") along both edges of the film are eliminated and replaced with spaced apart perfs along one edge of the film, the spacing between perfs being left blank. Using suitable film metering arrangements in the camera, the film can be advanced and controlled such that each image frame area is in a well defined location on the film strip relative to the perforations. Both mechanical and optical perf sensing devices have been proposed for the metering function. For optical perf sensing and resultant film metering, it is conventional practice to use an LED that emits in the infrared (non-visible) spectral region so as to avoid unwanted fogging of the film.
In a simple, low cost camera, it is desirable to minimize the parts content in the camera. The provision of separate components for film marking and film metering militates against such an objective. It is therefore desirable to provide apparatus which is capable of performing both functions without unnecessarily adding to the parts content of the camera, thereby to reduce the cost, complexity and size of the camera.